Disposable examination gown



June 24, 1969 BRADLEY 3,451,062

DI SPOSABLE EXAMINATION GOWN Filed March 16, 1966 F/G. 5 I INVENTORTHEODORE BRADLEY ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,451,062 DISPOSABLEEXAMINATION GOWN Theodore Bradley, 147 El Dorado St., Monterey, Calif.93940 Filed Mar. 16, 1966, Ser. No. 534,903 Int. Cl. A41d 9/00 US. Cl.2114 2 Claims Lewis, Ir. (Patent 3,154,789); Derrick (Patent 3,155,984);

MacDonald (Patent 3,160,891); and I-Irubecky (Patent 3,196,874) haveaddressed themselves to the problem of designing disposable examininggowns. However, the present gown designs are believed to constituteimportant improvements in this field.

Ofiice disposable examining. gowns ideally must be designed to permitobservation and examination of both breasts at the same time, aspathology in the breast, which may cause minor distortion of the breastor difference in the size of the two breasts, may not be obvious whenone breast is observed by itself, but may be immediately obvious whenthe two breasts are compared.

Similarly, it is important to be able to examine the base of the neckand the axillae in continuity with the examination of the breasts sincethe tail of the breast extends into the axilla, and since pathology inthe breast spreads to the lymph nodes in the axilla and to the lymphnodes in the base of the neck. Examination of the axilla is best donewith the patients hands first on their hips so that the examinersfingers may palpate the lymph nodes in the apex of the axilla and thenwith the patients arms raised upwards over the head so that the lymphnodes along the lateral wall of the axilla may be palpated. Thisexamination should be continuous with the examination of the breastsince pathology in the breast spreads to the axilla. Gowns that allowthe breasts to be examined by turning flaps laterally will obscure theaxillae and prevent the breasts and axillae from being examined incontinuity. Ausculation of the chest requires, of course, a comparisonof the two sides of front of chest, and then both sides of back ofchest. Thus, disposable examining gowns must provide for examination ofboth front and back.

The problems inherent in the design of hospital disposable gowns aresomewhat different than present in gowns designed for ofiice use. Duringoperation on the abdomen, pelvis or extremities, the gown frequentlybecomes stained with blood and must be removed at the end of operationand new gown placed on still unconscious patient. However, intravenousfluids are frequently running into one of the patients arms and if thegown has sleeves, it is difficult to remove'same without interruptingthe intravenous fluids and possibly contaminating the entire intravenoussetup. In similar manner, bandages or casts on the patients arms preventplacement or removal of arm from sleeve of gown.

In the hospital, the patient is frequently unconscious following anoperation or an obstetrical delivery and itis inadvisable to sit theunconscious patient up in order .to place the gown over the patientshead. Similarly,gowns that require the patient to step into them areunacceptable. Also, it is unsatisfactory to try to pull the examinationgown over the lower extremities and up over the lower trunk while thepatient is unconscious. Of'course, gowns must adequately cover thepatients trunk, arms and shoul- 'ice ders to avoid exposure andembarrassment. In addition, the ties on the back of conventionalhospital gowns are frequently uncomfortable when the patient lies on hisback. Whereas simplicity in design and low cost of manufacture isnecessary in disposable gowns, the requirement of withstanding stressesand strains of a patient sleeping are still present. Finally, it isgenerally recognized that gowns held together by snaps or ties areunacceptable as patient is exposed when bending over.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide bothoffice and hospital disposable examining gowns characterized bysimplicity in design and low cost of manufacture, while permitting allexamination functions.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an officedisposable gown permitting examination of breasts, axilla and base ofneck in continuity without obstruction by gown.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an officedisposable gown permitting covering of front of chest while back ofchest is examined.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a hospitaldisposable examination gown capable of being placed and removed frompatient while presenting no obstructions to bandages, casts orintravenous fluid setups.

Another object of the present oifice and hospital disposable examinationgown designs is to provide simplified technique for reattaching portionsof gowns, as desired.

Still further objects of the present invention will become apparent fromthe specification and drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is plan view of first embodiment of hospital disposable gownillustrating configuration of single sheet;

FIG. 2 is back view of assembled first embodiment of hospital disposablegown;

FIG. 3 is plan view of second embodiment of hospital disposable gownillustrating configuration of single sheet;

FIG. 4 is back view of assembled second embodiment of hospitaldisposable gown;

FIG. 5 is plan view of third embodiment of hospital disposable gownillustrating configuration of single sheet; and

FIG. 6 is back view of assembled third embodiment of hospital disposablegown.

The hospital disposable gown, as seen in FIG. l-6, is generallydesignated by reference numeral 50 and consists of a single sheet ofpaper 52 or other disposable material cut to predetermined'pattern toprovide neck opening, sleeves and the like, as desired. As seen in theembodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, single sheet 52 is provided with neck-'opening 54, surrounded by tapered cut-out portions 56 '68 may be madein sheet 52 with fastening technique located along diagonal lines 70. Asseen in the rear view of FIG. 6, a flap is thus provided in thisversion-of dis- .posable gown 50. 1

Of course, free edges 56, 58, 62, 64, 65 and of sheets 52 of the FIGS.1-6 embodiments of hosptial gown 50 may be secured by severaltechniques, some of whichwill now be described. For instance, adhesivesimilar to that 3 used on self-sealing envelopes may be employed. Assuch adhesive, however, will not readily separate to allow gowns to beremoved, perforations 72 may be employed proximal to adhesive on edge62, as illustrated in the FIGS. 1-2 embodiment. In order to replace gownafter perforations 72 have been torn, a line of adhesive 74 proximal toline of perforations 72 is employed. In this manner, the free edges ofgown 50 may be adhered together after being torn apart. That is, as seenon the right hand side of sheet 52 in FIG. 1 from the free edgeproximally there is a line of adhesive 62, a line of perforations 72 anda second line of adhesive 74 on reverse side. Of course, similarconstruction may be employed in the FIGS. 3-6 embodiments.

Alternatively, adhesive, characterized by low peel adherence and highshear adherence, may be coated on one surface of the free edges. The lowpeel adherence will enable free edges 65 of the FIGS. 35 gownembodiment, for example, to be easily peeled apart permitting sleeves 66to be readily opened to remove gown. Also, this adhesive will adherewhen it is pressed together again, thereby enabling the gown to bereplaced on patient after it is removed for examination.

Immediately after the operation or obstetrical delivery, hospital gown50 is placed on the front of patient with arms in sleeves of gown. Gown50 is not fastened at the patients back until consciousness is regainedpermitting patient to be rolled on side or placed in sitting position.All this is accomplished with hospital gown 50, without providingconventional large flaps that get in way until fastened around patientsback. Obviously, conventional snap assemblies, with resultingdiscomfort, are avoided in the present gown design. In general, it maybe said that such conventional snap arrangements are not acceptable, asusually such arrangements are only found at top of gown permitting lowertwo-thirds of patients back to be exposed when walking as well asseparating and bunching up during sleeping hours.

Obivously, the cuts made in sheet of paper of hospital gown 50 may bevaried to provide a choice of models with various shapes of sleeves orflaps to cover shoulders. Similarly, the cuts in upper lateral sectionor inside of sheet may be varied to provide differed shapes or length offlaps to wrap around patient and cover patients back. Optionally, thesleeves of gown may be omitted, and shoulders and upper arms simplyprotected by widening shoulder straps creating flap which will extendover shoulders and cover upper arm.

The sleeve may be positioned at the top of the arm to close under thearmor the sleeve may be positioned under the arm to close at the top ofthe armor the sleeve may be positioned at one side of the arm to closeat the other side of the arm.

Manifestly, changes in shape of offices disposable gown 10, as well asalternative technique for attaching shoulder straps and panels ofdisposable material, may be employed without departing from the spiritand scope of invention. Similarly, revision of length and direction ofcuts in hospital gown, as well as alteration of position or size of neckopening and sleeves, may be resorted to without departing from spiritand scope of invention. Finally, fastening and reattachment technique ofhospital disposable gown may be varied without departing from scope ofinvention.

I claim:

1. A disposable examination gown, comprising (a) a single shet ofdisposable material having a top portion containing a cut-out neck areaand two slits running downwardly from the top edge of said sheetdefining arm openings as the outermost side portions of said sheet arefolded inwardly,

(b) first means for separating and reattaching the ends of saidoutermost side portions including two sealing rows spaced from eachother with perforations located therebetween, and

(c) second means for separating and reattaching adjacent selectedportions of said top edge after said outermost side portions of saidsheet are folded inwardly.

2. A disposable examination gown as in claim 1,

wherein said two sealing rows are located on opposite sides of saidsheet.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 782,819 2/1905 Bikle 2751,489,046 4/ 1924 Thompson 2-114 2,701,364 2/1955 Palm 21 14 3,276,03610/1966 Cater 2-114 2,692,989 11/1954 Ielstrup 2-114 2,973,523 3/1961Brainard et a1. 2-114 X 3,156,927 11/1964 Grimm et a1. 2114 X 3,218,64911/1965 Ricter 2-l 14 3,230,546 1/ 1966 Sabee 2-114 RICHARD J. SCANLAN,JR., Primary Examiner.

1. A DISPOSABLE EXAMINATION GOWN, COMPRISING (B) A SINGLE SHET OFDISPOSABLE MATERIAL HAVING A TOP PORTION CONTAINING A CUT-OUT NECK AREAAND TWO SLITS RUNNING DOWNWARDLY FROM THE TOP EDGE OF SAID SHEETDEFINING ARM OPENINGS AS THE OUTERMOST SIDE PORTIONS OF SAID SHEET AREFOLDED INWARDLY, (B) FIRST MEANS FOR SEPARATING AND REATTACHING THE ENDSOF SAID OUTERMOST SIDE PORTIONS INCLUDING TWO SEALING ROWS SPACED FROMEACH OTHER WITH PERFORATIONS LOCATED THEREBETWEEN, AND (C) SECOND MEANSFOR SEPARATING AND REATTACHING ADJACENT SELECTED PORTIONS OF SAID TOPEDGE AFTER SAID OUTERMOST SIDE PORTIONS OF SAID SHEET ARE FOLDEDINWARDLY.